Fuel cells are a novel way to extract electrical energy from selected fuels (Hydrogen is the most common one) without combustion. It holds the eventual promise of replacing many of the combustion processes which now power industry, move vehicles, and heat our homes. Without combustion fuel cells do not produce CO₂, a green house gas (GHG). It is a new technology developing quickly, with both small and large installations already in use. 

The modern fuel cell is approximately 50% efficient in extracting power from its fuel. This compares favourably with the internal combustion engine which has been under development for more than a century and is now about 25% efficient. The economics of fuel cell technology is rapidly improving and has the potential of replacing up to one third of the Fossil Fuels used today.

Gasification is a process that converts coal, petroleum or Biomass, for example, into a synthesis gas, or syngas - a more efficient and cleaner fuel than the original material. The trend is towards gasification, that uses low-cost fuels, for the combined generation of heat and power at industrial installations.

Biofuels are fuels produced from organic sources, such as soy, maize etc. and can be used as a replacement for Fossil Fuels. The present market for biofuels is 16 million gallons annually, representing 1% of all transportation fuels. According to the International Energy Agency biofuels may account for 7% of global transportation energy by 2030.  

We have only begun to tap the potential of economically viable wind power, and new composite materials allow larger turbines and offshore installations that will more than triple the potential for economically viable installations (100,000 MW in Canada alone). The global wind energy industry is now worth US$6 billion and is growing rapidly, projected to be worth US$37 billion in 2010. Global installed capacity is expected to reach 95 000 MW by 2008 (up from 14,000 MW in 2000), and continue to climb to 194,000 MW by 2013.